Westaners photo says it all, straight up the front leg and just above the elbow!!!!!!!!!!!_________________If your eyelashes don't fall off just from looking at your broadheads, they ain't sharp enough!

Actually that photo is the vitals from a Pronghorn that has the ribs cut away. It has been also has been enlarged and placed over an ELK picture by BB. I'll post the other pics of that soon but first lets look at the skeleton.

In both the deer and elk the fore leg goes forward to meet the shoulder blade ( scapula) at an angle. Tha forms an area called the V or Triangle that is indeed straight up from the front leg. Now look at where the pulmanary artery and vein and aorta and vena cava come into the heart right at the forward angle of the V. in the next post:_________________Greg
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Last edited by GregE on Sun Aug 09, 2009 8:22 pm; edited 2 times in total

If you draw a line 1/3 up from the bottom and intersect the extension up fromt he front leeg ( assuming it is straight up and down) You are in the middle of the largest concentration of large blood vessels in the body.

The red spot on the top cow ELK is the commonly accepted spot and will kill quickly. BUt it's near the back third of the lungs where the vessels are smaller. Check out the superimposed picture of the ELK.

Compare this chart of the circulatory system with the skeleton one. Notice how the heart is protected by the leg bones- this is true of most four legged critters.

Realizing that few critters give us a true broadside shot opportunity we know that the McKenzie 3D target rings actually train us wrong when it comes to shots at an angle- quartering to/ from and up/ down hill angles.

I marked two spots, can't decide which one I like better. The shot is downhill so I would definitely be aiming slightly higher than normal. Also it appears that he is slightly quartering away so I am tempted to stay back from the "pocket" just a touch._________________Nothing Better Than Bowhunting!!!
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Keep posting these GregE I'm learning a lot from them.
You probably don't want my input since I'm rifle hunting and I've never taken an elk. At this point now for me I would shoot where I know he's going down. I hate to waste meat but this is my 3rd year and I have to take an elk home or drastically change my tactics.
As soon as I get an elk I'll switch to bow hunting but as a beginner I gotta start with a rifle.
I'd shoot for the heart but I don't have to be as careful as bow hunters.

hi guys, i have been reading this forum for a couple months but this is my first post.this site and the wisdom on it is great.i have been making the journey west to hunt elk for almost 20 years.that being said,i would take that shot but i would also make sure i gave him plenty of time[2 to 3 hours] and space after the shot.only going to get 1 lung and if you dont get his heart also he can be a tough critter. great thread!

I'm just carrying on a good idea that impressed me several years ago BB has made a point of sharing his knowledge on the Bowsite- I know a lot of folks don't go there so wanted to expand the audience.

I too used to use the behind the crease 1/3 up aim pint and took a lot of animals. Occasionally I had one that need considerable tracking when I "hit a little far back." ( you notice how many times you hear that phrase in the hunting videos? )

I hit a bull in the scapula many years ago. He had circled under my tree stand and was slightly quartering to me 15 yards away. At the shot he was turning and gathering his legs to take off. The arrow penetrated about 6" ( 555 gr 2315 with 125 gr Thunderhead shot from a 66# Hoyt Provantage- about 210 FPS) I watched the ELK walk off with my shaft sticking out and didn't have a 2nd shot opportunity. After 30 minutes I quietly checked for blood and found NONE. Waiting an hour I slowly walked down the trail he came in figuring he would take the same route back.

156 paces later I found blood then scuff marks and my bull. The TH BH had punched a neat hole through the shoulder blade and had cut the brachial artery that goes to the foreleg. I was lucky on several things. I started shooting to avoid bone and ended up with several liver hits some with paunch.

Now knowing the anatomy better I'm going for the V whenever possible.

Here's are a couple shots that show the bones quite clearly ( plus some bunched muscle below the scapula)

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